Why does God hate divorce? (Malachi 2:16

arunangelo · Post by **arunangelo** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 9:36 pm

Marriage covenant is a covenant of love. Since God is love (1 John4:8), it is a covenant of God. No one therefore, can put aside the covenant (Matt 19:6). Divorce therefore, goes directly against God; and those who remarry after divorce commit adultery (Luke 16:18). God is therefore, not pleased with the offering of those who divorce their spouse (Malachi 2: 13-14).

God always stays faithful to His covenant with us. When we were unfaithful to Him, He brought us healing by sacrificing His own life. As believers, we are called to love our spouse just as Christ loves us (Eph 5:25). The Lord told Hosea (Hosea 3:1), "Go, show your love to your wife again, though she is loved by another and is an adulteress. Love her as the Lord loves the Israelites, though they turn to other gods and love the sacred raisin cakes." We therefore, have to be faithful to our covenant with our spouse, even when there is unfaithfulness and hurt; and bring healing to our spouse by our prayers, sacrifices and support.

Divorce is absolutely prohibited by the Gospels (Mk 10:11-12, Luke 6:18; Matthew 5: 31-32). In Matthew’s gospel the exception is for unlawful marriages. The exception in the Greek text is porneia (which means incest or fornication), and not moiceia (which means adultery). The exception is for marriages between close relatives, which according to Mosaic Law (Lv 18:6-18) were unlawful, because, they were considered as incest. According to some authors it also refers to Jewish betrothal process, in which, prior to the marriage, if it was discovered that the bride was not a virgin (had committed fornication), the groom could back out. Such was the case when Joseph had planned to back out, when he found out that Mary was pregnant with Jesus.

Nicene · Post by **Nicene** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 2:14 am

In Matthew’s gospel the exception is for unlawful marriages. The exception in the Greek text is porneia (which means incest or fornication), and not moiceia (which means adultery).

The greek word porn according to strongs

4202 porneia; Harlotry (includ. adultery and incest)

This is exactly how strongs reads it.

Secondly, though it is certainly true that the jews had something similar to our engagement period and were even more strict on that period of time then the actual period of marriage, Matthew 19:6 should make clear that Jesus is referring to a consumated relationship:

Matthew 19:6 So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man seperate.

Your passage in Leviticus is not referring to marriage. It says nothing about marriage or even divorce, for that matter. Deut 22, 24 and Num. 5
speaks of divorce and conservative Jews hold that Deut 24:1-5 is referring to infidelity. Sense Jesus uses the word porniea, which very well does mean inappropriate relationships, Jesus would interpret it this way as
well.

1John2_26 · Post by **1John2_26** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 8:53 am

Divorce breaks up marriage and family.

Malachi mentions the hearts OF THE FATHERS returning to their chilren.

Since this thread will eventually (like all others of this kind) to same-sex marriage and homosexuality, Malachi is another place for Christians and Jews to feel comforted that not only science but the Bible agree on what IS a family and a marriage.

Malachi is a wonderful place to see the heart of God for family and children.

Just one phone call to a juvenile hall can glean the figures of what really happens to families and children without fathers.

Of the Bible always connecting with facts.

Nicene · Post by **Nicene** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 12:30 pm

Ironically, I actually agree with his position on marriage, kind of. I just disagree with his position on marriage laws.

I do believe God directed Moses to provide a law for divorce. However, this was for the hardness of their hearts. But because of Ephesians 5, we are called to love our wives as the church. Christ does not reject the church despite that I am a sinful being. I don't believe it's sinful to send away an unfaithful spouse but I believe the heart of our Lord would be forgiveness and reconsiliation. I would never council a couple for divorce and it would only ever be the very VERY last option.

McCulloch · Post by **McCulloch** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 1:17 pm

Nicene wrote:I do believe God directed Moses to provide a law for divorce. However, this was for the hardness of their hearts. But because of Ephesians 5, we are called to love our wives as the church. Christ does not reject the church despite that I am a sinful being. I don't believe it's sinful to send away an unfaithful spouse but I believe the heart of our Lord would be forgiveness and reconsiliation. I would never council a couple for divorce and it would only ever be the very VERY last option.

Paul, in his letter to the Ephesians wrote:Wives, be subject to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, and Christ also is the head of the assembly, being himself the savior of the body. But as the assembly is subject to Christ, so let the wives also be to their own husbands in everything.
Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the assembly, and gave himself up for it; that he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word, that he might present the assembly to himself gloriously, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Even so husbands also ought to love their own wives as their own bodies. He who loves his own wife loves himself. For no man ever hated his own flesh; but nourishes and cherishes it, even as the Lord also does the assembly; because we are members of his body, of his flesh and bones. “For this cause a man will leave his father and mother, and will be joined to his wife. The two will become one flesh.” This mystery is great, but I speak concerning Christ and of the assembly. Nevertheless each of you must also love his own wife even as himself; and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

I think that we all should be clear about what is being called for by that those who are calling for a return to Biblical values regarding marriage.
In a marriage according to biblical values, the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church. If Christian wives submitted themselves to their husbands as the church should submit itself to Christ, then where is the excuse for divorce? If Christian husbands loved their wives as they loved themselves, why would any Christian husband sue for divorce? The divorce rate should be practically nil for those who accept biblical teachings.

Lotan · Post by **Lotan** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 9:37 pm

What a fun topic!

McCulloch wrote:The divorce rate should be practically nil for those who accept biblical teachings.

AMAZINGLY, that's NOT the case!

According to the Barna Research Group...

"Divorce rates among people who identified themselves as "born-again Christians" was 27%; this is higher than the non-Christian rate of 23%!"

Here are some numbers from the ReligiousTolerance website...

"-11% of the adult population is currently divorced.
-25% of adults have had at least one divorce during their lifetime.
-Divorce rates among conservative Christians were significently higher than for other faith groups, and for Atheists and Agnostics."

Unfortunately Barna doesn't provide any numbers for same-sex divorces.

George Barna himself had this to say...

"While it may be alarming to discover that born again Christians are more likely than others to experience a divorce, that pattern has been in place for quite some time. Even more disturbing, perhaps, is that when those individuals experience a divorce many of them feel their community of faith provides rejection rather than support and healing."

Imagine that!

"...that atheists and agnostics have the lowest divorce rate of all."

What's going on here?

This guy is onto something...

"...the reason for a higher divorce rate among Christians is simple. “The divorce rate is high because people are committing adultery, and the people in the church are committing adultery at a higher rate than outside the church,” says Talley, president of Oklahoma City-based Relationship Resources and the web site www.drtalley.com."

Holy Porneia, Batman! Haven't these guys read Ephesians?

Isn't it odd that the same group that cries the loudest about 'family values' is also the least effective at upholding them? A skeptical person might even think that they're hypocrites!

Columbus · Post by **Columbus** » Wed Feb 08, 2006 10:49 pm

Nicene wrote: I do believe God directed Moses to provide a law for divorce. However, this was for the hardness of their hearts.

You have good reason for believing this. The OT is very clear. "And God spake unto Moses saying..." God did direct Moses to allow for divorce according to the Bible.

However, Jesus just as clearly contradicted Mosaic Law in the Bible. Point blank. Either God is contradicting Himself here, or Jesus and Yahweh aren't both God.

Of course, there is the possibility that what we are talking about here is human authors who disagree, but both claim to represent God. That's what it looks like to me. Different authors, with different beliefs, claiming to represent God, together in the same book. It's a common theme in the Bible if you seriously read it. I find this sort of thing compelling evidence that the Bible is a purely human artifact, but not everyone does.

Tom

Nicene · Post by **Nicene** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 2:45 am

If Christian husbands loved their wives as they loved themselves, why would any Christian husband sue for divorce? The divorce rate should be practically nil for those who accept biblical teachings.

I would agree with this assesment. This is why it would be more reasonable to assume they are not following what the bible teaches.

Lotan:

Could you please give me a location on that Barna source? Also, the quote
from Dr. Tally can't be searched. Could you please give me a more specific URL?

However, Jesus just as clearly contradicted Mosaic Law in the Bible. Point blank. Either God is contradicting Himself here, or Jesus and Yahweh aren't both God.

Columbus, I mentioned Matthew 19 as Jesus allowing for divorce in the case of infidelity. Jesus agreed with the law of Moses.

Lotan · Post by **Lotan** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 8:25 am

Nicene wrote:Could you please give me a location on that Barna source? Also, the quote
from Dr. Tally can't be searched. Could you please give me a more specific URL?

Sure.
The ReligiousTolerance article is a bit dated and relies on a Dec. 1999 study by the Barna Group. This study is widely cited on the net (mainly by Christian sites as far as I can see). The reference at the bottom of the article has gone out of date so here's a link to a new (Sept. 2004) study by the Barna Group. Miraculously, in the new study Christians have improved their score a little, but since the methodology used wasn't the same as the previous study it's difficult to compare them. The correlation between religious conservatism and higher divorce rate remains in the new study though.

The quote from Dr. Talley was from this article...
Why can’t Christians stay married? (Dec. 2001)
The corrected url for his site is http://www.drtalley.com/

1John2_26 · Post by **1John2_26** » Thu Feb 09, 2006 11:41 am

I love this. Lotan and McCulloch Fire and Brimstobe preachers!

Of course we have no clue how many atheists and agnostics are having sex before marriage, which of course would be "adultery" in the eyes of God. But, I'm sure the numbers are interesting to keep in mind when all of the judgment starts a flyin'!

But, back to the topic of divorce and God, isn't there a theme where God asks His followers to turn from their wickedness and be healed.

"Repentance?"